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Nurse Practitioner Advocate Dr. Gail Poirrier has been named the recipient of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners State Awards for Excellence. She will be honored at an awards ceremony and reception during the 23rd National Conference of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in Washington, D.C. this summer.
The award recognizes the efforts of those who have made a significant contribution toward increasing the awareness and acceptance of the nurse practitioner. Poirrier, who is dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at UL, has been an advocate for these practitioners in Louisiana for several years. She has supported nurse practitioners in education and service as an educator and member of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.(Photo: The Daily Advertiser Archives)

Gail Poirrier, dean emerita for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, will receive a lifetime achievement award Thursday to commemorate her time leading the college.

The award will be presented by the Critical Limb Ischemia and Limb Salvage Club, a Lafayette-based organization that holds monthly meetings to present advancements in treating critical limb ischemia — characterized by club founder David Allie as a serious issue in the area — as well as celebrate achievements of local figures.

"I do feel that, for about 31 years, I did administer programs and mentored a lot of faculties, taught students, and actually provided the (register nurse) workforce for Lafayette and this regions," Poirrier said. "I think it's been an outstanding workforce. I think that UL Lafayette Nursing produces some very intellectual students that are very caring and knowledgeable nurses today."

Poirrier worked with the college for 31 years and served as dean from 2001 to 2018, when she retired. During her time at the university, the nursing program began a streak of 34 consecutive years with nursing graduates averaging a 95% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.

The pass rate was among Poirrier's proudest accomplishments, though she also points to a successful faculty mentoring program that was the first of its kind in the state and a rarity nationally.

Last month, the CLI and Limb Salvage Club honored Ray Authement, the former UL president who led the school's transition from regional university to a nationally-recognized institution. But UL nursing program was a part of that improvement.

"At one time — I would say in the early 80s — the UL College of Nursing went through a bad time," Poirrier said. "We had low enrollment. We had a lot of disgruntled parents, students, faculty. And I think we worked very hard improve that image, to increase the research publication capabilities of the faculty, won some national awards. And now we are known nationally."

One of the goals of the CLI and Limb Salvage Club — outside of raising awareness for CLI and exploring developments in treatment — is to unite different parts of the Lafayette community: health care workers, business leaders, academics, students, and others. The club has had a variety of speakers, such as Texas-based wound care expert Tram Pham-Hill.

Thursday's dinner will include presentations from UL College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Dean Melinda Oberleitner, State Rep. Dustin Miller, and UL Vice President of Research, Innovation and Economic Development Ramesh Kolluru.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. in UL's Atchafalaya Grand Ballroom in the student union. People interested in attending can RSVP at limbsalvageclub.com or by calling 337-703-0646.